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Refugee Tales: a call to end indefinite detention

A walk in solidarity with refugees, asylum seekers and detainees

The wonderful Refugee Tales returns in 2017, a series of walks, readings and events that offer the opportunity to consider the long and often dangerous journeys that refugees make fleeing war and persecution.

Join Gatwick Detainees Welfare Group in July of this year for the return of their outreach project inspired by the experiences of men held in immigration detention at Gatwick and the work of the group in 20 years of visiting.

In 2015 and 2016, participants walked from Dover to Crawley in solidarity with refugees, asylum seekers and immigration detainees, taking in the beautiful North Downs Way. As the project progressed, Refugee Tales reclaimed the landscape of South East England for the language of welcome, and was met with hospitality and enthusiasm at every stop.

Inspired by Chaucer's The Canterbury Tales Refugee Tales is a collaborative endeavour, working directly with those who have experienced the UK asylum system, with a series of stories told by established writers en route. By telling these stories, the project gathered and communicated experiences of migration, exploring in particular what indefinite detention means. In previous years, contributions were made by various successful writers, poets, musicians and artists including the award winning Ali Smith, Jeremy Irons, Jonathan Freedland and many more.

Join Gatwick Detainees Welfare Group and Refugee Tales in 2017!

Refugee Tales this year runs from the 1st July to the 5th July 2017, and will walk from Runnymede to Westminster stopping at Walton, Kington, Brentford, and Hammersmith - with another list of talented artists and lot more tales to tell.